


Rain Can't Wash Sorrows

by AngstLegend60



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Heavy Angst, How Do I Tag, It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You, Sad Ending, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:09:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24245560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngstLegend60/pseuds/AngstLegend60
Summary: The Pale King reevaluates his life choices, only a bit too late
Comments: 5
Kudos: 34





	Rain Can't Wash Sorrows

**Author's Note:**

> This probably has, like, many mistakes cause it's almost 1am
> 
> So, sorry abt those ;-;
> 
> I didn't actually plan on posting this, but i really liked it... hope u do too!

He tried not to think too much about what he was doing with his child. Doing so would break him in every sense of the word, and he still had a duty to complete. He was a King after all, and he couldn’t allow himself to fail in any way. He had to be perfect.

He’d watched as countless of (his children) the vessels continuously fell into the pit called the Abyss, until one of them managed to climb the whole way up. The Wyrm had stared at it with an intensity he hadn’t known he was capable of, until he finally let the realisation sink in. 

(He was actually going to do this)

He then had turned his back on them, somehow aware that there was a second vessel behind him, barely hanging on to the ledge. But no, he couldn’t go back. 

(There was only space for one Hollow Knight)

So the Pale King left the Birthplace and closed the gate that kept the Void at bay. He promised himself he would never look back, because he feared he’d see them- the hollow eyes of the vessels, watching his every move with a questioning gaze-

Why?

(He tried not to think too much about that)

The Hollow Knight grew to become a fearsome opponent and a faithful servant, hollow to the eyes of most bugs, and yet so imperfect in every way. So… human. 

To the surprise of the five knights, during a particular day the Wyrm had decided to train the knight himself. 

“Don’t go to hard on them, they’re still learning…”

(Ogrim had always been too kind for his own good)

He remembered it’s trembling body as his sword hit it, making it fall on it’s knees, dazed at the stunning blow.

Their- no, it’s face had somehow showed fear, despite having being unable to do so since the moment of it’s birth.

He then realized it wasn’t hollow- never would be. Eyes like those, so full of emotion… could he really allow himself to treat it like a vessel when he knew it wasn’t? 

Wounds weren’t a thing foreign to hollow beings- but emotions, pain were. And that right there, in it’s once hollow face, had been emotion. Fear, in it’s simplest form.

However, he couldn't stop. Not now, not after everything he’d done- everything he’d sacrificed. Their eyes- they followed him everywhere. His children. The vessels. 

(He wouldn’t let their deaths have been for nothing)

So he tried to forget. And as time passed, he noticed the signs- a second of hesitation, a worried glance, pain filled eyes- it was as clear as the day. But he couldn’t stop.

Time passed, and the moment arrived for the Hollow Knight to be sealed into the Temple of the Black Egg. He announced his news to the three Dreamers and finally got his plan on motion. 

And yet… the knowledge that the vessel would take the infection did nothing to bring his soul any peace. Those white, void filled expressions constantly reminded him of what he had done, and what he was about to do.

It was too late to take anything back.

For a time, the infection disappeared. Bugs got a moment to breathe, and life almost went back to normal for most citizens. But the Wyrm remembered, and he knew this faked peace wouldn’t last long. It was only a matter of time until the vessel’s- his child’s imperfections began to show themselves.

The White Lady became worried for him, always paranoiac for something. Always on the edge of panic- always glancing at his back. His incoherence confused her, because why wouldn’ it? He’d tried hiding any traces of worry from his character, but he could only go on for so long.

The knowledge that the plan wouldn’t work kept him awake at nights, as well as the eyes. Those haunting, black and white eyes. The tears they had never gotten the chance to shed because of their early departure. 

It was like the calm before the storm.

Chaos once again filled the bugs of Hallownest as the infection appeared once again, this time ready to end the lives of everyone. Closed cities, blood flowing in the streets- bugs who resorted to cannibalism for survival-

It was all too much for the Pale King, who shortly decided to hide the White Palace in the Dream realm as a last resource. He knew otherwise he wouldn’t last long- he knew and he was scared, as dumb as that might have sounded coming from a god.

He walked the halls back and forth, searching for a solution he knew didn’t exist. Soon, he was forgotten from the minds of the few bugs that remained alive, too worried for their own safety to pay attention to any King or higher figure.

Time passed and passed- And their eyes- they followed him everywhere- 

The madness- It slowly made it’s way to his mind, and the darkness that grew closer each second that passed certainly didn’t help stop it. The deafening silence soon became maddening, because there was no one else in the palace besides him and his mindless servants, the only thing remaining being dreams of who they had once been.

No cost too great, he reminded himself when he felt the silence was going to end him. When he let himself think about how he had failed- how he had absolutely failed and killed so many of his own children-

And yet, one day it was over, just like that. 

He stared in horror at the bodies of his past servants, consumed by the void- Where? How? Why? The halls were dark, darker than they had ever been, and even his light wasn’t enough to let him see clearly.

The source of the endless darkness was there, at the corner of his eye. The Void rapidly filled the whole room, and the Pale King soon found himself stuck and surrounded by void and-

(The eyes watched him with indifferent expressions)

His body forcefully fell on top of his throne, and he watched in utter panic as the Void tendrils grabbed him and forced him to stay in place-

The eyes- the eyes suddenly shone all too much, almost blinding him to the point where he winced- their expressions unreadable because they were hollow and-

(Why did i allow myself to become like this? How could i? Where did i go wrong?)

Darkness

Eternal darkness and Void were what followed next.

**Author's Note:**

> Hmmmm i like angst, okay?
> 
> Also, i feel sad for the PK. Yeah, he's an asshole, i know. I mean, he literally kills his own children and uses them to contain a long lost enemy of his... BUT, i honestly can't say i would have done anything different if i had been in the same situation as him. And honestly? I can't help but pity him. So i decided to write this oneshot on my take on his character and story :D
> 
> (He's still an asshole though)


End file.
